Home Of Ghana News Ghana News, Entertainment And More
The Namibian Police Force (Nampol) has denied doing “dirty work” for President Cyril Ramaphosa in relation to some US$4 million in cash (around R64 million at the current exchange rate) that was stolen from Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala game farm in Limpopo.
Ramaphosa has come under fire after former spy boss Arthur Fraser laid a criminal complaint against him following the break-in on 9 February 2020.
In his affidavit submitted in June, Fraser claimed that Ramaphosa had conspired with the head of the Presidential Protection Unit Major General Wally Rhoode to track down the men behind the cash robbery, instead of reporting the matter to the police.
Fraser named Imanuwela David, Errki Shikongo, Petrus Muhekeni, Urbanus Shaumbwako and Petrus Afrikaner as the perpetrators of the farm heist.
Fraser claimed that the men conspired with a domestic worker to steal the money, which had been hidden in a couch.
The men were found in Namibia and allegedly tortured, along with the domestic worker, who reportedly conspired with the men to arrange the theft.
But in a statement released on Thursday, Namibian police denied the torture and abduction of David. According to Nampol, David entered Namibia illegally by canoe via the Orange River through an ungazetted entry point near Noordoewer in the Karas region.
He was then assisted by a police officer identified as Sergeant Hendrick Hidipo Nghede, from the Tourism Protection sub-division in Luderitz, and Paulus Alfeus Ngalangi, acting CEO of FishCor in Luderitz, to get to Windhoek.
“The trio drove to Windhoek in the acting CEO’s BMW X5 and arrived after midnight,” Inspector-General Sebastian Ndeitunga said.
He said David was arrested at a hotel in Windhoek on charges of violating the Immigration Control Act and the State of Emergency Regulation that was in place at the time.
Ndeitunga said he was found in possession of N$300, eleven 100 US dollar notes, a TAG Hauer watch worth N$28 000, a Rolex watch worth N$280 000, a gold chain worth N$163 000, and four cellphones.
David also tested positive for Covid-19. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a fine of N$5 000 or 12 months’ imprisonment for violating the Immigration Control Act.
He was further fined N$15 000 or 24 months’ imprisonment under the Customs and Excise Act for failure to declare goods.
Ndeitunga said David paid the fine of N$20 000 and was released.
According to Nampol, immigration officials issued David with a 48-hour notice to leave the country and he subsequently left Namibia via the Noordoewer Border Post on 14 November.
Nghede and Ngalangi were also arrested and charged under the Immigration Control Act, aiding and abetting illegal immigration, and contravention of the Anti-Corruption Act.
Their trial was postponed to August.
“It is worth noting that indeed the two police authorities met on 19 June 2020 at what is termed ‘no-mans’ (sic) land near Noordoewer to share operational information pertaining to David Imanuwela and other Namibian nationals suspected to have stolen money in South Africa and fled to Namibia.
“The Namibian Police Force identified individuals, bank accounts and various properties, including lodges, houses and vehicles, suspected to have been purchased with the proceeds of crime, and consulted the Office of the Prosecutor General to consider a preservation order of the assets,” Ndeitunga said.
Ndeitunga said a preservation order was issued, and a formal request was made through the Ministry of Justice to South Africa to confirm whether a crime had been registered in South Africa.
“However, no response was received from SA authorities, resulting in the cancellation of the preservation order and release of the assets.”
The statement by the Namibian police calls into question the actions of the South African authorities and their pursuit of the matter.
News24 has approached the justice ministry and the department for comment. These will be added once received.
